As the water levels continued to recede on Saturday, local officials began gearing up in their recovery efforts to help those affected by recent flooding along the Black River.
It was a week ago today that the river began to rise, forcing many from their homes. More than 100 sought shelter in the Black River Coliseum, some staying through Thursday night. The shelter was closed at 5 p.m. Friday.
"We believe this flooding event has passed us, and we're in recovery mode" now, said Butler County Emergency Management Agency Director Robbie Myers. "That means we are getting all the roads up into (passable) condition, working with homeowners to go through the process of assessing (damage)" and seeing what the next step is regarding insurance or other aid.
"We're trying to connect flood victims to agencies and services that exist to help them," Myers said.
That, he said, could be a long process.
As part of the recovery process, "Presiding County Commissioner Vince Lampe, highway superintendent Gary McDonald and I met with Red Cross damage assessment personnel," Myers said. "We reviewed maps and locations, and they have been out ... visiting with people with damaged homes and will be continuing that process."
Officials, he said, identified about 450 homes that could be affected in some way from minor to major damage.
"That number will shrink considerably, we hope, as we find out what damage" exists, Myers.
Red Cross officials, he said, did site visits on Friday, as well as on Saturday, looking at the different homes.
The officials, he said, began on Saxon Street and worked their way through South Poplar Bluff and then started going out into the county from there.
According to Myers, the Red Cross officials have Federal Emergency Management Agency forms and are looking for specific things in their assessments. They also can help residents with what is needed for insurance claims, he said.
"They are trained in this area," Myers said. "We are very thankful they are here helping us do this ... helping those individuals ... go through the process."
At this time, Myers said, there has been no FEMA disaster declaration.
"We are waiting on the process," Myers said. "Butler County has submitted all of our numbers," which are being collected from the affected counties by the governor for submission to the president.
"We're hopeful that will happen early this week," Myers said.
The community, according to Myers, really came together for this event.
"The National Guard, in particular, wanted to make sure the people of Poplar Bluff and Butler County knew how much they appreciated them for coming out to help with sandbagging to providing meals or just honking and waving," Myers said. "They expressed deep appreciation."
The guardsman, Myers said, have completed their task and left on Saturday.
"The county and community are very appreciative for all they did," Myers said. "We're also very thankful to everyone who donated (items) through the donation center."
The donation center, located at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center (old Doctors Regional Medical Center), 621 W. Pine St., will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday and from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday for the distribution of cleaning supplies and other items to flood victims.
At 5 p.m. Wednesday, Myers said, the Southeast Missouri Food Bank also will be at that location with its mobile food pantry flood relief food giveaway.
The supplies and food will be available for any flood victim; proof of residency will be required.
From noon to 4 p.m. today and again from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, the Disabled American Veterans' National Disaster Relief program will be set up on the parking lot of the Black River Coliseum.
The program reportedly supports veterans, service members, surviving spouses and their families during times of "great need" in the aftermath of isolated/specific disasters, like the flooding in Missouri.
Myers encouraged any veteran to check out the services the group provides.
The group, he said, works with veterans "every day of the year. They want to make sure they are getting any services they are eligible for."
Myers said the American Red Cross also brought in several truck loads of supplies, which will be distributed regionally in Poplar Bluff, Van Buren and Doniphan.
From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, "we will have a MARC, Multiagency Resource Center," Myers explained. "At this time, 13 agencies are confirmed" to attend what he described as a "one-stop shop for flood victims to connect with governmental and other organizations from which they can receive help."
The event will be held at Memorial Baptist Church near the intersection of Ditch Road and Highway 53 in its building closest to the Poplar Bluff Fire Department's station No. 3.
Myers encouraged flood victims to mark their calendars and to watch the Daily American Republic for a complete list of the "cooperating agencies and organizations."
"If we have a FEMA declaration by then, people will be shown how to apply, and other organizations will be out to distribute items and/or funds," Myers said.
As the county begins its recovery efforts and its residents begin cleaning up, officials are continuing to deal with closed and impassable roads.
"We still got a lot of roads that are impassable," particularly down around Coon Island and County Road 202, "back in there," Lampe said.
"I tried several different ways to cut through Coon Island to 202, all that area along the river is still under water," he said.
County Road 611 also is impassible, Lampe said.
"316, you can get to it from either end, but it's washed out at the Ackerman ditch," Lampe said.
The outside, eastbound lane of U.S. 60 near Fisk and the Highway 51 ramp now are open.
Missouri Department of Transportation officials and guardsman began working Friday afternoon to remove the barricade on U.S. 60 and finished around 4:30 a.m. Saturday, Myers said.
The St. Francis River at Fisk was at 24.75 feet at 5 p.m. Saturday and still rising slightly; it was expected to crest at 24.8 feet later in the day and then begin falling.
Wappapello Lake was at 396.48 feet at 5 p.m. Saturday, after having crested at 8:30 a.m. at 396.57 feet.
U.S. Corps of Engineers officials reported a discharge Saturday of 13,800 cfs at Wappapello, where it was expected the water would stop flowing over the auxiliary spillway on Tuesday.
Clearwater Lake crested at 570.33 feet at 10 a.m. Saturday and was holding steady at 570.24 feet at 4:30 p.m. Corps officials there reported a discharge of 5,000 cfs.
Black River at Poplar Bluff was at 15.56 feet at 4:15 p.m. Saturday, after having crested at 16.08 feet at 7:30 p.m. Friday